


Boxes

by Mythicamagic



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Bonding, Family Feels, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fluff, Other, Platonic Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-14 14:47:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28797105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mythicamagic/pseuds/Mythicamagic
Summary: A father/daughter oneshot in which Sesshoumaru and Rin discuss their bond.
Comments: 24
Kudos: 68





	Boxes

**Author's Note:**

> Made in response to today’s events. I needed some catharsis.

“Sesshoumaru-sama?”

Golden eyes slid open, drowsy at first, before blinking and sliding up to Rin. He arched a brow, noting the distress in her scent.

“What ails you?” he uttered, shifting against the tree he was currently reclined against that overlooked the village.

Rin fiddled with her hands and chewed her lip, scuffing a bare foot against the ground. Even as a teen she hadn’t lost some habits. “It's just that I’m confused about some things people were saying in the village, so… I was wondering if I could talk to you about them.”

Sesshoumaru gestured elegantly to one side of the tree, inviting her to sit beside him. Rin plopped down and hugged drawn up knees to her chest.

Noticing the silence and slightly concerned by it from the normally talkative girl, Sesshoumaru took it upon himself to prompt answers from her.

“What did the fools say?”

His ward huffed and pouted, “that’s not a nice thing to call them, Sesshoumaru-sama,” she mumbled, soon sighing and reluctantly continuing. “Well, it was mostly some older women. They were talking about how I’m ‘of age now.’ I tried to say I wasn’t interested in anyone but then… they started talking about marriage prospects.”

Sesshoumaru listened quietly, feeling distaste mar his lips into a faint sneer. The girl was no more than 15.

Rin picked at some lush grass, gaze averted. “They mentioned you,” she said offhandedly, causing him to stiffen. “I got confused. Sesshoumaru-sama doesn’t call R-Rin is his daughter,” she slipped up, reverting into her old trait of referring to herself in third person. A fresh wave of confusion and distress rolled into her scent, sickly and rotten like dying flowers. “So maybe they’re right? They said that it’s natural since we’ve known each other so long and have a bond. You’re kind to me. Protect me. You’re a man and Rin is a woma-”

“Enough, Rin.”

He hadn’t meant his tone to slip into one so biting. Youki spilt through his hair, making it flicker slightly, markings emboldening. He closed his eyes to snuff out a burning red gaze. Taking a calming breath, he gave a measured response. “I do not outwardly call you my daughter, no. And correct, we have a bond. Perhaps I am 'nicer’ to you than most,” he allowed, finally looking down at her and meeting her teary gaze. “But why should that automatically mean romance for us?”

Rin rubbed at her eyes, blinking. “They said it's considered 'normal’ for humans to marry young and that you wouldn’t have protected me for no reason.”

Sesshoumaru’s claws twitched at his side. Somehow he mercifully kept hold his patience and didn’t immediately fly off to have a word with these people. “Perhaps it is normal for them, but that has no bearing on us. This one protected you because you are pack.”

Rin thought about this for a moment, “like Jaken and Ah-Un?”

“Hn,” his lips twitched. “And you do not see me offering marriage proposals to Jaken, do you?”

A shaky giggle escaped her, “well I haven’t seen any, but maybe in private…”

Sesshoumaru huffed with amusement and placed a palm on her head, messing up wild hair and eliciting a squeal that ran into a whine.

The amusement abated however, and Sesshoumaru found himself gazing down at her soberly. True she was no gaped toothed child anymore, but he could not see her in any other light than as… Rin. Rin who liked flowers. Rin who cuddled with dragons. Rin who walked around with mud caked onto her feet and hair. Rin who sang songs. Rin who was small, frightened and sobbed from nightmares featuring sharp-toothed creatures tearing her limb from limb. Rin who had died twice before the age of 8. Rin, who needed a guardian. A protector. One stable thing unchanging in her life of confusion, upset and trauma. More than anything. He doubted he’d ever be capable of seeing her as a woman no matter how she changed, nor did he wish to.

“Perhaps it is my fault,” he rumbled quietly. “This one is not in the habit of stating things out loud. I should have explicitly said that I see you as…part of my group.”

Rin suddenly beamed, sniffing. “You’re not to blame, Sesshoumaru-sama. That’s just how you are. You like Inuyasha a little better now but you still don’t call him your brother.”

“Hn, half brother,” he said, cutting his eyes to the sky and stroking her head of dark hair.

“I will change my habits if only to silence those wagging tongues spreading rumours. Or I could rip them out,” he mused casually, tone deceptively soft.

Rin winced, “that’s a little far,” she said, shifting and removing his large hand from her head, studying it. “… I don’t think I… see you in a romantic light,” she concluded on her own. “Maybe that’s weird. They seemed to think that I should. ”

“It is not weird,” he stated firmly. “How do you think of me?”

Rin was still impressionable, but now that she’d spoken her thoughts aloud, they’d become unclouded. “Like a Papa, but not quite. It’s hard to say,” she hummed. “My guardian,” she settled on. “Definitely someone who will protect me like a Papa.”

“Humans often like to box relationships into something they can understand. Familial or romantic,” Sesshoumaru uttered, squeezing her fingers. “Demons are not that way. Platonic relationships come easier for us to recognise. Perhaps I should not have left you in the village after all if this is what they’re preparing you to think.”

Rin quickly waved her hands, “oh no! I still enjoy the village! Kagome-sama seemed angry with the ladies and told me not to listen. I just… wanted to ask you. I trust you.”

She trusted him to tell her what was right. To do the correct thing. In the wrong hands, that trust could be manipulated. Become something dark.

Sesshoumaru gentled, nodding. He then leaned back against the tree. “Rin,” golden eyes slid to her, serious. “You can marry someone else, if you wish to. If you do not, don’t. What do you want?”

Rin pursed her lips and frowned, “I’m not sure. Maybe I’ll be a herbalist. Maybe I’ll be a demon Slayer!” she gave a cheeky grin, showing her dimples. “But I don’t think I’m ready for marriage and babies yet.”

Sesshoumaru felt a mild wave of relief wash over him. “And you understand that nothing will change our bond as it is now? You are my ward. There is… Happiness, to be found in that. Far more than some might think. It is not a downgrade from something romantic.”

Rin nodded in agreement, giving a smile and hugging his side briefly.

As she stood and removed a leaf from her hair, muttering a thanks in preparation to leave, the demon formulated some words on his tongue. They felt strange and foreign to speak aloud, but they were necessary. As he’d said before, humans needed to place relationships into boxes. He would willingly put himself in the appropriate one, if it meant bringing her comfort.

“Farewell, daughter.”

Earthy brown eyes swung to him. Rin froze, looking younger then, childlike, wonderful joy brightening her face. Something seemed to visibly settle over her, a blanket of ease and comfort. Like she’d found the thing needed. It wasn’t a bereavement to be rejected by him. To reject the notion of romance. Their happiness and bond as ward and Lord, was more fulfilling than any humans trivial assessment of their relationship.

“See you later, Papa,” Rin gave a wave, hurrying away with her long legs, gangly form drawing away.

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and tilted his head back against the rough tree bark. There would perhaps come a time when he would watch her dance with her partner barefoot at her wedding, or maybe she’d never be wed. Whatever Rin chose to do, a certain silver inuyoukai would keep vigil over her life. She had suffered greatly, and brought him quiet joy, the way only a pup could.

Thin lips curved, and Sesshoumaru lazily sunbathed for the rest of the afternoon, watching over the village silently beneath the refuge of his tree.


End file.
